Best action films 1971 – 1980 - Charts
Best action films 1971 – 1980
1. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
USA, Sci-fi / Adventure
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford
2. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
USA, Sci-fi / Adventure
Directed by: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford
3. Animal (1977)
France, Comedy / Action
Directed by: Claude Zidi
Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Raquel Welch
5. The Towering Inferno (1974)
USA, Thriller / Drama
Directed by: John Guillermin
Cast: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman
6. Watch Out, We're Mad (1974)
Italy / Spain, Comedy / Action
Directed by: Marcello Fondato
Cast: Terence Hill, Bud Spencer
7. Man of the East (1972)
Italy / France, Western / Comedy
Directed by: Enzo Barboni
Cast: Terence Hill, Gregory Walcott
8. Drunken Master (1978)
Hong Kong, Comedy / Action
Directed by: Woo-ping Yuen
Cast: Jackie Chan, Simon Siu-Tin Yuen
9. The French Connection (1971)
USA, Crime / Thriller
Directed by: William Friedkin
Cast: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey
10. Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1972)
Japan, Action / Drama
Directed by: Kenji Misumi
Cast: 若山富三郎, Isao Yamagata
11. Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972)
Japan, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Kenji Misumi
Cast: 若山富三郎, Kayo Matsuo
12. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)
Hong Kong, Action / Historical
Directed by: Chia-Liang Liu
Cast: Chia-Hui Liu, Norman Chu
13. Trinity: Gambling for High Stakes (1978)
Italy / USA, Comedy / Crime
Directed by: Sergio Corbucci
Cast: Terence Hill, Bud Spencer
14. 3 Evil Masters (1980)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Tony Chun-Ku Lou
Cast: Tak Yuen, Lung-Wei Wang
15. The Three Musketeers (1973)
Spain / USA, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Richard Lester
Cast: Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch
16. Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972)
Japan, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Kenji Misumi
17. Cop or Hood (1979)
France, Action / Crime
Directed by: Georges Lautner
Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Georges Géret
18. Eagle's Shadow (1978)
Hong Kong, Action / Comedy
Directed by: Woo-ping Yuen
Cast: Jackie Chan, Jang-Lee Hwang
19. The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974)
Spain / Panama, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Richard Lester
Cast: Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch
20. Challenge of the Ninja (1978)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Chia-Liang Liu
Cast: Chia-Hui Liu, Yasuaki Kurata
21. Dirty Harry (1971)
USA, Action / Crime
Directed by: Don Siegel
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino
22. Lightning Kung Fu (1980)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Sammo Hung
Cast: Sammo Hung, Kar-Yan Leung
23. The Getaway (1972)
USA, Action / Crime
Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
Cast: Steve McQueen, Ali MacGraw
24. The Young Master (1980)
Hong Kong, Action / Comedy
Directed by: Jackie Chan, Kei Law
Cast: Jackie Chan, Biao Yuen
25. Le Mans (1971)
USA, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Lee H. Katzin, John Sturges
Cast: Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch
28. The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
USA, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Ronald Neame, Irwin Allen
Cast: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine
29. Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Land of Demons (1973)
Japan, Action / Drama
Directed by: Kenji Misumi
Cast: 若山富三郎, Michiyo Ookusu
30. Dear Inspector (1978)
France, Action / Comedy
Directed by: Philippe de Broca
Cast: Annie Girardot, Philippe Noiret
31. Confessions of a Police Captain (1971)
Italy, Action / Crime
Directed by: Damiano Damiani
Cast: Franco Nero, Martin Balsam
32. A Slice of Death (1979)
Hong Kong, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Meng Hua Ho
Cast: David Chiang Da-wei, Lo Lieh
33. Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril (1972)
Japan, Action
Directed by: Buichi Saitô
Cast: 若山富三郎, Hiroshi Hasegawa
34. Vanishing Point (1971)
USA, Action / Drama
Directed by: Richard C. Sarafian
Cast: Barry Newman, Cleavon Little
35. The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
Botswana / South Africa, Comedy / Adventure
Directed by: Jamie Uys
Cast: Marius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo
36. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
UK, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Lewis Gilbert
Cast: Roger Moore, Barbara Bach
38. Warriors Two (1978)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Sammo Hung
Cast: Kar-Yan Leung, Casanova Wong
40. The Shogun's Samurai (1978)
Japan, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Kinji Fukasaku
Cast: Sonny Chiba, Kinnosuke Yorozuya
41. Crime Busters (1977)
Italy, Action / Comedy
Directed by: Enzo Barboni
Cast: Terence Hill, Bud Spencer
42. Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell (1974)
Japan, Action / Adventure
Directed by: 黒田義之
Cast: 若山富三郎, Renji Ishibashi
43. French Connection II (1975)
USA, Action / Crime
Directed by: John Frankenheimer
Cast: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey
44. Death Chamber (1976)
Hong Kong, Action
Directed by: Cheh Chang
Cast: Alexander Sheng Fu, Chi Kuan-Chun
45. The Diamond Peddlers (1975)
Italy, Comedy / Action
Directed by: Giuliano Carnimeo
Cast: Antonio Cantafora, Paul L. Smith
47. Shogun Assassin (1980)
Japan / USA, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Robert Houston
Cast: 若山富三郎, Kayo Matsuo
48. Juggernaut (1974)
UK / USA, Drama / Thriller
Directed by: Richard Lester
Cast: Richard Harris, Omar Sharif
49. The Big Racket (1976)
Italy, Action / Crime
Directed by: Enzo G. Castellari
Cast: Fabio Testi, Vincent Gardenia
50. Lady Snowblood (1973)
Japan, Action / Drama
Directed by: Toshiya Fujita
Cast: Meiko Kaji, Kō Nishimura
51. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
Mexico / USA, Action / Drama
Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
Cast: Warren Oates, Isela Vega
52. Mortal Combat (1978)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Cheh Chang
Cast: Kuan-Tai Chen, Phillip Kwok
53. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
USA, Action / Crime
Directed by: Joseph Sargent
Cast: Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw
54. Enter the Dragon (1973)
Hong Kong / USA, Action / Crime
Directed by: Robert Clouse
Cast: Bruce Lee, John Saxon
57. Dance of the Drunken Mantis (1979)
Hong Kong, Action / Comedy
Directed by: Woo-ping Yuen
Cast: Simon Siu-Tin Yuen, Sin San
58. Monkey Kung Fu (1979)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: John Ma Law
Cast: Tony Ching, Tony Siu-Hung Leung
59. The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979)
Japan, Crime / Action
Directed by: Kazuhiko Hasegawa
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Kazuo Kitamura
60. The Blues Brothers (1980)
USA, Action / Comedy
Directed by: John Landis
Cast: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd
61. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
USA, Thriller / Action
Directed by: John Carpenter
Cast: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston
62. Superman (1978)
UK / USA, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Richard Donner
Cast: Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando
63. Zatoichi at Large (1972)
Japan, Drama / Action
Directed by: Kazuo Mori
Cast: Shintarô Katsu, Rentarô Mikuni
64. Last Crusade (1971)
Romania, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Sergiu Nicolaescu
Cast: Amza Pellea, George Demetru
65. The Iron Fisted Monk (1977)
Hong Kong, Action
Directed by: Sammo Hung
Cast: Sammo Hung, Sing Chen
66. Odd Couple (1979)
Hong Kong, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Kar-wing Lau
Cast: Sammo Hung, Kar-wing Lau
67. Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: John Woo
Cast: Damian Lau, Hoi-sang Lee
68. The Cassandra Crossing (1976)
UK / Italy, Drama / Thriller
Directed by: George P. Cosmatos
Cast: Sophia Loren, Richard Harris
69. Dirty Ho (1979)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Chia-Liang Liu
Cast: Yu Wong, Chia-Hui Liu
70. The Magnificent Butcher (1979)
Hong Kong, Action
Directed by: Woo-ping Yuen
Cast: Sammo Hung, Tak-Hing Kwan
71. Violent City (1975)
Italy, Action / Crime
Directed by: Marino Girolami
Cast: Maurizio Merli, Richard Conte
72. Death Wish (1974)
USA, Action / Crime
Directed by: Michael Winner
Cast: Charles Bronson, Vincent Gardenia
73. The Invincible Armour (1977)
Hong Kong, Action
Directed by: See-yuen Ng
Cast: John Liu, Jang-Lee Hwang
74. Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)
Hong Kong, Action
Directed by: Jimmy Wang Yu
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Kang Chin
75. Michael the Brave (1971)
Romania / France, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Sergiu Nicolaescu
Cast: Amza Pellea, Olga Tudorache
76. The Avenging Eagle (1978)
Hong Kong, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Sun Chung
Cast: Alexander Sheng Fu, Lung-Wei Wang
77. Hunter Will Get You (1976)
France, Crime / Thriller
Directed by: Philippe Labro
Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Bruno Cremer
78. The Chinese Professionals (1972)
Taiwan / Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Jimmy Wang Yu
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Fei Lung
79. Triple Irons (1971)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Cheh Chang
Cast: David Chiang Da-wei, Lung Ti
80. Zatoichi in Desperation (1972)
Japan, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Shintarô Katsu
Cast: Shintarô Katsu, Masumi Harukawa
81. The Shaolin Avengers (1976)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Cheh Chang
Cast: Alexander Sheng Fu, Chi Kuan-Chun
82. Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)
UK / USA, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Sam Wanamaker
Cast: Patrick Wayne, Taryn Power
83. Force 10 from Navarone (1978)
UK, War / Adventure
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
Cast: Robert Shaw, Harrison Ford
84. The Incredible Kung Fu Master (1979)
Hong Kong, Action / Comedy
Directed by: Joe Cheung
Cast: Stephen Tung, Sammo Hung
85. Two Champions of Shaolin (1980)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Cheh Chang
Cast: Meng Lo, Sheng Chiang
86. Fury of the Dragon (1976)
USA, Action
Directed by: William Beaudine, Robert L. Friend
Cast: Van Williams, Bruce Lee
87. Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)
USA, Action / Crime
Directed by: H.B. Halicki
Cast: H.B. Halicki, Marion Busia
88. Zatoichi's Conspiracy (1973)
Japan, Action / Drama
Directed by: Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Cast: Shintarô Katsu, Eiji Okada
89. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
UK, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
Cast: Sean Connery, Jill St. John
92. Fear Is the Key (1972)
UK, Action / Crime
Directed by: Michael Tuchner
Cast: Barry Newman, Suzy Kendall
93. Caliber 9 (1972)
Italy, Action / Crime
Directed by: Fernando Di Leo
Cast: Gastone Moschin, Barbara Bouchet
94. The Knock Out Cop (1973)
Italy / West Germany, Crime / Action
Directed by: Steno
Cast: Bud Spencer, Adalberto Maria Merli
95. Dynasty of Blood (1973)
Hong Kong, Action / Drama
Directed by: Cheh Chang
Cast: David Chiang Da-wei, Lung Ti
96. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
USA / Italy, Horror / Thriller
Directed by: George A. Romero
Cast: Ken Foree, Gaylen Ross
98. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
UK, Action / Adventure
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
Cast: Roger Moore, Christopher Lee
100. Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind (1980)
Hong Kong, Action / Crime
Directed by: Hark Tsui
Cast: Lo Lieh, Chen-Chi Lin